PEAX Equipment

Two Tikkas to paradise...

Mako

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Apr 8, 2020
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OK. So I had another thread going regarding the SAKO Finnlight series of rifles. I've since been looking at the Tikka T3x Lite and Superlite rifles as well. Riddle me this . The T3x Lite 6.5CM with 22" bbl, blued steel weighs 6.5lbs. The T3x Superlite in 6.5CM with stainless fluted bbl also weighs 6.5lbs. What gives? Shouldn't the rifle with the fluted bbl be lighter? What am I missing? Does this have something to do with the metallurgical make-up of stainless vs carbon steel? Or is this an error on Tikka's website regarding the weights of these two rifles?
 
I don't know which specific metal alloys Tikka is using, but generally, stainless is 5% heavier than carbon steel.
I had a feeling it had something to do with stainless being more dense, hence the same weight despite being fluted.
 
I had a feeling it had something to do with stainless being more dense, hence the same weight despite being fluted.
My 7-08 22" Superlite (Sportsman's Warehouse version) weighed 6.1 straight out of the box, they list it on their website @ 5.9
 
Guessing the weight is average for all calibers of that action size. Flutes don't cut much weight maybe a couple oz at most off those thin barrels. You would think the marketing guys would have at least tossed in a weight that was just a little less. ;)

This is way too much math for me this morning, after a bit of chasing down typical dimensions of flutes and barrels... By my math/drawings, I get between about 0.0035-0.005in3/inch of flute on a 0.264 dia barrel. Assume the flutes are 16" long, x6, and they are cut at 0.22-0.35" diameter with a minimum wall dimension from flute/bore of 0.135"... that works out to about 1.5-2.2oz (using 4.6oz/in3). Density difference between ss vs cm is negligible. I'm also guessing that the barrel wall thickness could could be more than 0.135.
 
I had the guy at Sportsmans weight them both once and the difference was like an ounce and a half if I remember correctly. The flutes on the Tikka aren't all that deep so I can see it making that much of a weight difference.
 
I don't know if this makes a difference or not in your decision and please don't quote me on this but I had heard multiple times that the Tikka fluted barrels were the same ones used on the Sako finnlight.
 
I have 2 stainless steel 300 win mags. One fluted and one not. I also have 2 barrels stainless steel 300 win mag one fluted and one not. Unfortunately one gun has mounts and a scope on it and the other is a bare rifle. One barrel is threaded with a brake the other is plain. So, in all that I really can't help much.
 
I don't know if this makes a difference or not in your decision and please don't quote me on this but I had heard multiple times that the Tikka fluted barrels were the same ones used on the Sako finnlight.
You would be correct. Based on everything that I have been learning, Tikka uses SAKO barrels on all their rifles and offers the same one MOA guarantee that SAKO does.
 
Please correct me if I am wrong, but my T3x Lite in 6.5CM has a 24.3 inch barrel. I believe the Superlite has the same.
the heavier weight of the SS offsets the fluting, no?
 
You would be correct. Based on everything that I have been learning, Tikka uses SAKO barrels on all their rifles and offers the same one MOA guarantee that SAKO does.
Almost... Tikkas have a 3 shot MOA guarantee, Sakos have a 5 shot MOA guarantee
 
Please correct me if I am wrong, but my T3x Lite in 6.5CM has a 24.3 inch barrel. I believe the Superlite has the same.
the heavier weight of the SS offsets the fluting, no?
They are offered with both 24+” bbl and 22+”. I’m looking at the 22” bbl versions myself. According to the Tikka website, T3x Lite 22” weighs 6.5 lbs. the Superlite weighs 6.4 lbs. If 1/10 of a pound is all that you are saving by going with a fluted barrel, I’ll just stick with the non-fluted myself.

The blued and stainless versions in 22” weigh the same. At least according to what they’ve posted on their website.
 
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Both the lite and superlite have the same bbl contour. They both have a 24.3" bbl, but from their website the left handed superlite has a 22.3" bbl. I doubt that's right. Every caliber will weigh different from the next. Bigger hole = less weight.
 
I realize this is an old thread but I was killing time and reading so I'll comment what I know anyway
Sako barrels WERE made the same way for years, when Beretta USA purchased Tikka and soon learned (or had learned) that the Tikka Finnish smiths made each rifle start to completion by one gunsmith they took note of that fact, THEN before too long they also realized that Tikka rifles were selling 4 to 1 better than Sako rifles and had established a solid reputation for out of the box accuracy they brought this up at the next board meeting (succinctly) and soon afterward the Tikka gunsmiths were teaching ALL Beretta USA riflesmiths their techniques - this was long enough ago to now be old news ...... Also, if anyone has ever had cause to seek customer service from any Beretta USA products as I have, MY experiences have led me to believe that that particular corporation "thinks" we Americans "don't know CHIT"
 
On a 22” tikka barrel, there is exactly 3.1oz diffference between fluted and non fluted. I have two take off 270win barrels and weighed them. Tikka also fluted 22.4” and 24.4” barrels the same amount, with fluted stopping the same length from the reciever.
 
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